Twins Video
Pérez: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 60.2% strikes (41 of 68 pitches)
Bullpen: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Home Runs: Cruz (27)
Multi-Hit Games: Cruz (3-for-4, HR, 5 RBI, BB), Kepler (2-for-3, 2 BB, RBI), Polanco (2-for-5), Rosario (2-for-5, RBI)
Top 3 WPA: Cruz .394, Kepler .231, Polanco .211
Bottom 3 WPA: Pérez -.289, Dyson -.081, Gonzalez -.066
The Twins got five innings out of starting pitcher Martín Pérez, who also had a very low pitch count. But he couldn’t keep the Royals off the scoreboard, giving up three home runs and a total of five earned runs. That was the sixth time he allowed five or more runs in his last eleven starts. The bats continue their recent out-of-this-world run, as they have now scored an MLB-best 79 runs since the start of the Yankees series, on July 22.
This offense has no chill
Both teams exchanged punches early in this game. The Royals manufactured a run after All-Star outfielder Whit Merrifield singled on the third pitch he saw, stole second and was brought home by a two-out single by Jorge Soler. I’m sure you know that didn’t last long.
Minnesota responded immediately, with identical aggressiveness - but more power. Max Kepler jumped on the second pitch he saw and hustled for a double. One batter later, Nelson Cruz made it clear that not starting during the Marlins series made no difference whatsoever. He blasted his 27th home run of the year into the second deck of left field.
https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1157448553557569538
The bats kept pounding and pounding. A couple more runs scored in the second, but, this time, with a more scarce resource. The destructive Twins offense has the 22nd walk rate in the majors, walking only 8% of the time. But Luis Arráez and Jason Castro drew two of them and both of them ended up haunting Royal starter Glenn Sparkman. The wonderkid scored on a sac fly from Ehire Adrianza, while Castro took advantage of a rare mistake by Alex Gordon, who couldn’t hold on to the ball after a sliding charge.
Royals strike back
Pérez’ first time through the order couldn’t have gone more smoothly. Second and third could hardly have been rougher. Kansas City had back-to-back two-run innings in the fourth and fifth. Hunter Dozier hit a leadoff home run and then the visitors started their own small-ball party, hitting two consecutive singles, a sac bunt and Soler scored on a balk.
The Twins starter couldn’t regroup properly and gave up two solo home runs in the fifth (Cam Gallagher and Dozier, with his second), giving the Royals their second lead of the game. That was enough to end Pérez’ night at only 68 pitches. With yet another poor start, he now has a 5.53 ERA since the beginning of June, after posting 3.10 as a starter in April and May. Is there a reason to worry? Possibly, we’re not going to see much from him as a starter in October.
The seesaw continues
Once again it was time for the offense to rescue this game. And they got their end of the job done. After Kepler walked and Jorge Polanco singled, mighty Cruz doubled to center field (inches short of a homer!), scoring Max. On the following at-bat, Eddie Rosario scored Jorge on a sac fly, regaining the lead for the Twins.
Lewis Thorpe came in to pitch the sixth and he didn’t have the best of starts. He gave up a leadoff double to Cheslor Cuthbert, who was brought home by a Humberto Arteaga double, tying the game. But the Aussie managed to cool down and finished pitching 1 2/3 innings. As a reliever in the majors this year, he’s now posting a 2.84 ERA, making his case for a playoff spot each day stronger.
Is Cruz ever going to come back to Earth?
Being named the AL Player of the Week on Monday might have inspired Cruz. Kepler and Polanco (who else?) reached safely on back-to-back plate appearances again and the Boomstick took care of business yet one more time. He doubled off the center field wall for his third hit of the night and fifth run batted in. There aren’t many more words left to describe what this man has been doing for the Twins this year. It’s astonishing. Miguel Sanó (single), Arráez (groundout) and Castro (single) also joined the party, each of them driving in a run, making it a five-run seventh.
Dyson still not sharp, Romo saves it
Sam Dyson made his second game in a Twins uniform, one day after his debut. Just like the game in Miami, he wasn’t even close to what he was in San Francisco and gave up three earned runs. Obviously that’s not ideal, but he did retired two batters (as opposed to none on Thursday) and threw 75% strikes (as opposed to 42.8% the day before).
Rocco Baldelli brought in Sergio Romo to get the last out of the eighth in relief of Dyson, his third game of the week, and he earned his first save as a Twin, his eighteenth of the year. Romo, as usual, was fired up, displaying a lot of emotion every out he got. He struck out two batters in 1 1/3 inning of work, but also had the help of an amazing leaping grab by Polanco at short in the ninth.
Postgame With Baldelli
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
Click here for a review of the number of pitches thrown by each member of the bullpen over the past five days.
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